Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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This is the third time in the past two years the Ceann Comhairle has facilitated a debate on the future of Greendale community school and I thank him on behalf of the Kilbarrack community. Two years ago I rose in the House to plead with then Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Noel Dempsey, that Greendale community school should remain open. The people of Foxfield, St. John's parish, and St. Benedict's parish in Kilbarrack were devastated and distraught, as a sixth year pupil told us in late March 2004, when the Greendale community school's trustees, the Jesuit and Holy Faith orders and the VEC, announced the closure of Greendale community school by June 2007. Disgracefully, there was no consultation process whatsoever with the staff, students and parents, or with representatives of the local Kilbarrack parishes, such as Councillor Anne Carter or me. This was the second body-blow to my constituency in a matter of months since it followed the appalling decision by the Oblate Order to sell the historic Belcamp College in Belcamp parish to a developer for €105 million, thereby depriving a huge area of north Coolock and Ayrfield of its long-standing historic secondary school.

Two years ago the then Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Noel Dempsey, said he had no objection to Greendale's closure and when I raised the matter with the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, in February 2005 I received a similarly unhelpful reply. I hope that reply referring to enrolments in the mid-1970s and 1980s will not be recycled here again this evening.

During the past six months especially, Kilbarrack parents and local residents in the Greendale Road district of Foxfield, St. John's parish, are increasingly anxious as to the future of the impressive Greendale community school campus following the Government sanctioned closure next summer. Because massive high rise and high density developments are being approved across the constituency of Dublin North-East and particularly in the north fringe, local residents are deeply fearful that the site will be sold to developers and turned into a massive apartment and commercial complex. I ask the Minister of State to address and remove these fears in this short debate this evening.

My Kilbarrack constituents are rightly adamant that Greendale community school campus must continue as an educational and community resource for the whole of the Kilbarrack, Raheny and mid-Sutton area. Greendale community school was founded in 1975 and had a peak enrolment of 950 students in the early 1980s. An impressive teaching team led by the inspiring principal, Mr. Anton Carroll, including teachers such as the distinguished novelist, Roddy Doyle, the famous playwright, Paul Mercier, the iconic Dublin star, Brian Mullins, and dozens of other wonderful teachers have made an enormous contribution to several generations of Kilbarrack children and their families.

While second level numbers had fallen to 220 students two years ago with the maturing of the Kilbarrack area, the Greendale campus had more than 1,000 adult students and provided an important second chance gateway to third level through Greendale's key association with Trinity College, Dublin. It is this crucial work for adult and second chance education which local residents believe should be the core role of Greendale community school campus following the closure of the second level school next June.

The large campus and its fine gym should also be permitted to continue the school's deeply appreciated role as a readily available and pleasant facility for all the community and residents' groups, sports and youth bodies of Kilbarrack. Over the years those bodies have included Kilbarrack and District Residents Association and our two great local soccer and Gaelic clubs, Kilbarrack United and Naomh Barróg.

I call on the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, and her colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, and the Department to liaise with me and my two Dáil Fianna Fáil colleagues in the constituency, all the local community and sporting bodies, local councillors, the Northside Partnership led by chairperson Padraic White, Dublin City North Central Area Management team led by Mr. Declan Wallace and Ms Elaine Mulvenny and the city and county VECs, Trinity College Dublin, UCD, DCU and all the other educational stakeholders. The objective must be to keep Greendale community school in educational and community use as a continuing focal point for the two parishes of Kilbarrack and the surrounding districts of my constituency.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Broughan for raising this matter on the Adjournment. I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin. The reply deals with the planned closure of Greendale community school in Kilbarrack.

Greendale community school was built in 1975 to accommodate 800 pupils. The school expanded quickly to exceed its enrolment capacity. An extension to increase the school's capacity to 900 pupil places was provided in the early 1980s. In line with demographic changes in the area, the school has experienced a steady decline in enrolments in recent years. Since 1996-97, enrolment has declined by more than 50%, from 449 students to 215 students in the 2003-04 school year. Current enrolments in primary schools in the area indicate that this decline will continue.

The school applied to the Department of Education and Science for major capital funding in 1999. A feasibility study commissioned by the Department estimated that an investment of €2.4 million was required to address the remedial works necessary.

Greendale community school is located in the Howth Deanery of the Dublin archdiocese. The general decline in enrolments in this area has resulted in spare capacity of an estimated 2,300 places at post-primary level. In the circumstances, the Department did not consider that the level of capital investment required was a viable option. However, grant aid was made available to ensure immediate health and safety issues at the school were addressed.

Subsequent to that, officials from the Department of Education and Science held meetings with the trustees to discuss the future of the school because there did not appear to be adequate pupil numbers in the locality to enable it to regenerate. The Department was concerned about the ability of the school to offer a broad and balanced curriculum given the relatively small number of pupils enrolled.

The trustees advised officials in the Department of Education and Science in March 2004 that a decision had been taken to close the school in June 2007 and that there should be no intake of pupils in September 2005. The Department concurred with this decision.

Ownership of the school property is currently vested in the trustees. This will revert to the Department when the school closes. I assure Deputy Broughan that the Department of Education and Science is open to considering any proposals made to it with regard to the future use of the building. Furthermore, in common with all educational facilities, any need for the retention of the building for alternative educational provision will be explored before any decision is taken on its disposal. I thank the Deputy again for raising the matter.